Border advice please
 

Hi, I am new to this forum. I am just making my second quilt. It is based on the colours of a sunset. As with my first quilt, I find it difficult on deciding what colour borders to do. I plan to put a 2” white strip round it first. Could anyone suggest what border colour to go for please and if you think I should do one or two borders and how wide to do them? Many thanks for your help.

The quilt is beautiful, I would not put a 2" strip of white around it. There is a lot of white in the quilt already. I'd pick a color in the quilt and use that as the first border and then another color in the quilt as a second border if you think it needs one.

I would not use white as a first border either. I would use a light green teal color for the first border and then a darker purple for the wider second border. Also have you tried mixing your blocks up instead of putting all the "like" colors together?

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan. I love what you are doing with this quilt. I would avoid the white. and use the purple for one and the teal for the other. I look forward to seeing a lot of you here. Welcome aboard.

I like a 1 inch border first. It sorta frames the quilt. Also, I's use colors from the quilt. The teal is my favorite, so I'd use it on the (wider) outer border. Don't be afraid of a 1 inch border. I was worried at first that it would be wonky, but they aren't.

Great job with your quilt and those blocks!

Since you mentioned subset, make one border with one of the orange fabrics. Make the second border in a dark tone teal and use it for binding. The sunset can fade right into night.

Beautiful quilt! I agree that the white border won’t add much. For an inner border, I like a skinny border (about 1”) in a relatively dark fabric. The outer border should be wider and can use a fabric already used in the quilt. My suggestions are marked in the attached photo, but you have many options.

What a beauty!
You could do a one inch white, or omit that, and use one of the other colors in the quilt. Maybe a couple of borders, with the widest at the end. My last border is usually no wider than 4 inches but you can do whatever suits you.

I've also done quilts with no border- just a nice binding in one of those colors. Really, the sky's the limit in quilting.

What a beautiful quilt! I agree with others, I like the idea of a 1 (or even 2) inch inner border (I wouldn't do white there either) and then an outer border. Perhaps a 3 or 4 " outer border? I would use colors from the quilt for both.

I would probably use a dark color for a first border an then maybe a lighter one for the final border.

What a wonderful idea, thank you. And thank you to everyone else who replied.

I do like the idea of the white inner border, because it "floats" the center design and gives the eye a rest, before a more colorful outer border.

How about "auditioning" several combinations - you don't need to cut anything to get the effect - just lay the blocks out over the fabrics -

Take a few pictures and then compare the pictures.

Sometimes it is easier to "see" an effect on a photo than in "real life"

Don't know why that is, though.

I find that if I make a multi-colored quilt, then put a blue border on it, the quilt becomes a blue quilt. The border pulls out all the other blue and makes the quilt look mostly blue. So if this were my quilt, I would use the turquoise type color in the bottom right, because that’s the color I like best in your quilt.

I see this quilt with a green border on 2 sides and an orange or red family on the other two sides and no white stop border. When I am questioning which color or how many borders I will like, I lay out the fabric in the width that I think I would like for the border right next to or slightly underneath the completed top and take pictures. DON'T cut anything until you make a decision. The pictures really help me see the whole quilt and make a better decision. If I don't like any fabric I have then I take the pieced top to the fabric store and test fabric colors there. I still take pictures & view those before I make the final decision. NOTE: If you do decide to take it to the fabric store, I would think about running a staystitch around the outside perimeter. That will keep your outside seams from coming apart. My stay stitch line is about 1/8".from the outside edge.

Your quilt is lovely and you have had some great suggestions. Because it's not assembled yet, may I suggest straightening out a couple of the blocks with directional fabric that looks like stripes. There are a few going vertical and others are horizontal. Because you want a sunset look, if changed all to be horizontal I think it was flow better when complete. Can't wait to see what borders you choose. Good job!

As you see, you will get lots of different suggestions. Here I go with mine. I would first consider what you re going to use for your back. I like to use that color either in my border or as my binding. I like the what border even though there is a lot of white in the top already. It keeps the "theme" or the look of the quilt and border looking consistent. But, I would suggest a narrow color border first, then the white.When I first looked at your quilt I saw green but that could just be because of the photo. So if it was my quilt, a narrow green border then a white wider border but not too wide. If you wish the borders to actually make the quilt larger expand both the inner border with just a little and the same with the outer border.

There you go my opinion. Put it in the bag, mix it up with the other ideas and do what feels good to you. You have a lovely quilt started and oh, so many more quilts in your future to play with.

I agree. I might audition a narrow white inner border with a wider turquoise outer border, take pics and see how I like it. Look at it from across the room and also as a pic on your phone. This will help you get the wide-angle lens perspective. Lovely quilt!
By the way - what's the name of this line of fabric?? I've been looking for it but it's hard to find without the name. 😜

I'm probably in the minority here, but I'm not a border person. I don't add them whenever possible. That said, I'd do a white binding.

You've received several great ideas here and I agree with them all https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png Each and every suggestion lends to a beautiful, but different, finished look. As mentioned already, it's very helpful to lay the quilt out and place the different border fabrics you're considering around the quilt and stand far back plus take pictures. I almost always have an instant decision when I do this.

Sometimes, I like to really frame the quilt with a thin 1/4" border followed by a 1" border and then a larger border. That's if I do a border at all - sometimes I prefer the blocks/pattern to stand on their own which, in my eye, looks more modern. And I almost always do a flange binding. The beauty of quilting - lots of wonderful options but the best one is the one you like the most!

Look forward to seeing your finished quilt!

It is Moda Sunshine Soul.

I like the idea of a thin white border. It won’t even look like a border, it’ll just make the rest of the quilt float.

Then, I’d choose your favourite colour from the blocks, and make a slightly thicker border in a mid range of that colour. I’d bind it in a really dark of the same.

Luckily, there’s no quilt police to come and take you away, so you can try any/all of the suggestions here, and decide what YOU like!!!!